SAN ANTONIO — The Bexar County Commissioners Court has released the list of nearly 30 applicants to fill the vacancy of Interim Constable Precinct 2.
The vacancy was created when current Precinct 2 Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela announced to KENS 5 that she would run for Bexar County Sheriff in 2020. That declaration invoked the so-called "resign-to-run" provision of the Texas Constitution, the Bexar County District Attorney's Civil Section Chief wrote in an opinion.
According to a press release, Commissioners Court is expected to interview and appoint an interim constable during a special session Wednesday.
The deadline to apply for the position was 12 p.m. Monday. Of the 29 applicants, the candidates include former Precinct 2. Constable Val Flores; former Bexar County Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz; Nathaniel Buchanan, who is also running for Pct. 3 Constable; and former San Antonio Police Department assistant chief Jose Banales.
This past Saturday, Vela seemed to suggest she has no plans of vacating the office despite her announcement.
"...Nor did I have plans to abandon the four-year term seat of the Constable's Office," she said. "I will continue to humbly serve the Constituents of Precinct #2 as we move forward together."
It's unclear if Vela will still run for Bexar County Sheriff in 2020.
View the full list of applicants below:
- Jose L. Bañales
- Nathaniel Buchanan
- Melissa Aryn Campbell
- Charles A. Campbell
- Rudy Dominguez
- James C. Dorsey
- Donald Falcon
- Val Flores
- Javier Flores
- Lydia C. Garcia
- Rudolph A. Gonzalez
- Victorio Rolando Guedea
- Hilario R. Gutierrez
- Tony Lee Jones
- Cecil Burton Jones, Jr.
- Michael V. King
- Michael Lacey
- Ian S. Lovestock
- Reynaldo V. Lujan
- Justino Monarez
- John Muirhead
- Amadeo A. Ortiz
- Edwardo Flores Prado II
- Mary Ruiz
- John Michael Seda
- Milton Smith
- Alex R. Torres
- Leticia R. Vasquez
- Debra L. Zerda